1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a password system and a user interface for such a password system, and more particularly to a novel method for inputting a password that is capable of preventing the password from being revealed to others observing the course of inputting a password, and to an improved password system that is capable of providing a user interface suitable to such a method for inputting a password.
2. Description of the Related Art
A user authenticating system is widely used in various apparatus and systems. User authentication is to verify whether a person who has access to a system is authorized. In actual environment, the user authentication is materialized by means of a user authenticating system. The user authentication system is composed of software and hardware, which are combined with each other. The user authentication is carried out using information provided by a user and information stored in the system.
The information provided by the user includes memorized information, information stored in media owned by the user, and vital information. An example of the memorized information may be an ID or a password; an example of the media owned by the user may be a card; an example of the vital information may be a fingerprint.
Generally, a user authenticating system using the information memorized by the user is software, while a user authenticating system using the media or the vital information is a combination of software and hardware. An example of the user authenticating system comprised of a combination of software and hardware may be a fingerprint recognizing system, which is comprised of a fingerprint recognizing apparatus for inputting a fingerprint information and software for processing a digital fingerprint.
A password system may be a user authenticating system, which uses information memorized by the user. Such a password system, in which the user inputs an ID and a password, is used widely. The password system includes a system related module and a user interface related module. Furthermore, a module materialized by a coding technology may be used selectively according to a system in use.
Generally, a password system of the system having only one user does not include a code module or other security platform modules. Examples of such a password system include a desktop alone and a cellular phone. Generally, a password system of the system having several users includes a code module or other security platform modules. Examples of such a password system include an internet banking system using a public key base structure and a UNIX system.
The password system is one of the user authenticating systems, which is used very widely, in that its use is convenient, its price is low, and its materialization is easy. However, the conventional password system has a drawback in that a password may be easily revealed to others observing the course of inputting the password.